Silent Tongue (1994) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A grieving man's fixation on his dead wife drives a forced marriage arrangement and a supernatural struggle over her corpse.

Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases

Grief And A Father’s Plan

Talbot has become insane after his wife's death. Prescott feels his son's pain and decides to find him a new wife.

Key Events

• Talbot Loses His Wife — Talbot's wife's death becomes the source of his continuing psychological collapse. Characters: Talbot Roe Location: Unspecified setting
• Talbot Becomes Insane — Talbot has gone insane over the death of his wife. Characters: Talbot Roe Location: Unspecified setting
• Prescott Feels His Pain — Prescott recognizes Talbot's suffering after the death. Characters: Prescott Roe, Talbot Roe Location: Roe family setting
• A Search For A Wife — Prescott decides to find Talbot a new wife. Characters: Prescott Roe, Talbot Roe Location: Roe family setting
• Return To McCree — Prescott returns to the place where Talbot's first wife was bought. Characters: Prescott Roe, Eamon McCree Location: McCree's place
• The Earlier Purchase — Prescott's return recalls Eamon's connection to Talbot's first marriage. Characters: Prescott Roe, Eamon McCree, Talbot Roe Location: McCree's place

The McCree Proposal

Prescott returns to Eamon McCree, who was connected to Talbot's first marriage. He identifies Eamon's daughter and asks for her as Talbot's new wife.

Key Events

• The Earlier Purchase — Prescott's return recalls Eamon's connection to Talbot's first marriage. Characters: Prescott Roe, Eamon McCree, Talbot Roe Location: McCree's place
• The Daughter Appears — Prescott finds the dead wife's sister, who is also Eamon's daughter. Characters: Prescott Roe, Eamon McCree, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: McCree's place
• A Champion Rider — Eamon's daughter is described as a champion horse rider and half-Indian. Characters: Eamon McCree, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: McCree's place
• Prescott Makes His Request — Prescott asks Eamon for his last daughter as Talbot's new wife. Characters: Prescott Roe, Eamon McCree Location: McCree's place
• Eamon Refuses — Eamon rejects Prescott's request for his daughter. Characters: Prescott Roe, Eamon McCree, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: McCree's place
• The Daughter Is Kidnapped — After the refusal, Prescott kidnaps Eamon's daughter. Characters: Prescott Roe, Eamon McCree, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: McCree's place

Abduction And Bargain

Eamon refuses the proposal, so Prescott kidnaps his daughter. She accepts a deal involving gold and four horses.

Key Events

• The Daughter Is Kidnapped — After the refusal, Prescott kidnaps Eamon's daughter. Characters: Prescott Roe, Eamon McCree, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: McCree's place
• Prescott Seeks Her Help — Prescott tries to persuade the kidnapped daughter to help him. Characters: Prescott Roe, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Unspecified setting
• Gold And Four Horses — Gold and four horses form the terms of the proposed arrangement. Characters: Prescott Roe, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Unspecified setting
• The Deal Is Accepted — The daughter accepts Prescott's deal for gold and four horses. Characters: Prescott Roe, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Unspecified setting
• Talbot Takes No Chances — Talbot remains wary of the woman brought into his situation. Characters: Talbot Roe, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Roe family setting
• Fear Of Losing The Corpse — Talbot fears she will try to take his dead wife's corpse from him. Characters: Talbot Roe, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Roe family setting

The Corpse And The Ghost

Talbot distrusts the prospective wife because he fears she will take his dead wife's corpse. Meanwhile, the Ghost visits him for several nights.

Key Events

• Fear Of Losing The Corpse — Talbot fears she will try to take his dead wife's corpse from him. Characters: Talbot Roe, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Roe family setting
• The Ghost Returns — Talbot sees the ghost of his dead wife during several consecutive nights. Characters: Talbot Roe, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Unspecified setting
• The Ghost Demands Destruction — The Ghost tells Talbot that he must destroy her corpse. Characters: Talbot Roe, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Unspecified setting
• Talbot Refuses The Ghost — Talbot refuses to carry out the Ghost's demand. Characters: Talbot Roe, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Unspecified setting
• Grief Remains Unresolved — Talbot's refusal leaves the conflict between grief, marriage, and the corpse unresolved. Characters: Talbot Roe, Prescott Roe, Eamon McCree, Awbonnie / Ghost Location: Unspecified setting

Story Breakdown

• Talbot's Collapse — Talbot's wife's death leaves him psychologically broken and attached to her corpse.
  • Wife's Death — The death of Talbot's wife initiates the central tragedy.
  • Insanity And Grief — Talbot becomes insane over the loss.
• Prescott's Intervention — Prescott responds to Talbot's suffering by searching for a new wife.
  • A Father's Concern — Prescott feels his son's pain.
  • Finding A New Wife — Prescott decides to arrange a replacement marriage.
• McCree's Daughter — Prescott returns to Eamon McCree and identifies his daughter as a possible bride.
  • The Earlier Transaction — Eamon was connected to the purchase of Talbot's first wife.
  • Champion Horse Rider — Eamon's daughter is described as a champion rider and half-Indian.
• A Refused Proposal — Prescott asks Eamon for his daughter, but Eamon rejects the request.
  • Prescott's Request — Prescott proposes the daughter as Talbot's new wife.
  • Eamon's Refusal — Eamon refuses to give his last daughter for the marriage.
• Forced Bargaining — Prescott escalates the disagreement by kidnapping the daughter and offering compensation.
  • The Kidnapping — Prescott takes Eamon's daughter against his refusal.
  • Gold And Horses — The daughter accepts a deal involving gold and four horses.
• The Corpse Conflict — Talbot's fear of losing the corpse collides with the Ghost's demand that he destroy it.
  • Fear Of Removal — Talbot fears the new woman will take his wife's corpse.
  • Ghostly Demand — The Ghost tells Talbot to destroy the corpse.
• Talbot's Refusal — Talbot rejects the Ghost's demand, leaving his grief and fixation unresolved.
  • Repeated Apparitions — Talbot sees the Ghost over several nights.
  • Refusal To Destroy — Talbot refuses to destroy his wife's corpse.

Directed by

Sam Shepard

Key Cast

• Alan Bates — Eamon McCree
• Richard Harris — Prescott Roe
• River Phoenix — Talbot Roe
• Dermot Mulroney — Reeves McCree
• Tantoo Cardinal — Silent Tongue